This webinar focuses on serving domestic violence survivors who have criminal histories, exploring the unique needs and barriers impacting this population, how best to advocate for women across the stages of the criminal justice system and strategies to collaborate with criminal and legal sectors. The presentation highlights the Michigan State Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence Best Practice Toolkit for Working with Domestic Violence Survivors with Criminal Histories.

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

Recognize the impacts and needs of domestic violence survivors who have criminal histories

Identify strategies for advocating for survivors across criminal justice system stages

Consider best practices for the domestic violence sector to collaborate with the criminal legal sector

Presented by:

Dr. Sheryl Pimlott Kubiak, Michigan State University

Sheryl Pimlott Kubiak, PhD. is a 2002 graduate of the University of Michigan’s joint program in Psychology and Women’s Studies. She was a NIMH pre-doctoral fellow in gender and mental health. Her research interests are at the intersections of criminal justice, mental health and substance abuse – encompassing both individual as well as system-level issues. She joined the faculty at MSU in the fall of 2006 after four years as Assistant Professor at Wayne State University. She is currently a full professor in the School of Social Work and former Director of PhD Program.Dr. Kubiak is committed to the physical and psychological well-being of those involved in the criminal justice system, particularly women, and has extensive practice, policy and research experience in this area. Some of her research projects include the implications of cumulative stress, PTSD and depression among women convicted of drug offenses; the impact of welfare reform on those with drug convictions; and the effects of PTSD on incarcerated men and women. In addition she has examined gender differences and similarities in physical and mental health outcomes between men and women exposed to cumulative violence. Current research includes testing gender-specific and trauma informed interventions for incarcerated women; assessing the relationship between victimization and perpetration of aggression toward partners and others; evaluating the implementation of Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards across Michigan’s prisons and assessing outcomes associated with mental health courts statewide.